


Chapters of our Life

by JustCallMeAri



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wedding Day, Wedding Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-09 09:52:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13478937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustCallMeAri/pseuds/JustCallMeAri
Summary: Rafael and Sonny are finally getting married, and everything is perfect.





	1. The Part Where They Get Ready

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Emmy for posting the question on Twitter!  
> Thank you Fay for responding and letting me steal your idea!

Sonny had just finished putting the leftovers in the fridge and was starting to fill the sink with soapy water when Rafael walked out of their bedroom, wet hair and towel around his waist.

“What are you doing?” Sonny asked, faking frustration.

“Just grabbing coffee,” Rafael said with smile, and then took a sip of coffee without breaking their eye contact. He made a happy humming sound before turning to walk back to the bedroom. Once he stepped into the bedroom, Rafael undid his towel with one hand so that Sonny had a shot of his ass before shutting the door to get dressed. Sonny returned to the dishes after an eyeroll and giggle, he moved extremely slow, distracted by the image of Rafael’s ass. The older man had grown increasingly more confident in his body since they got together, Sonny wanted to hate how cocky he had gotten, but that same cockiness is what gave Sonny those same images day after day. 

Ten minutes later, Sonny was drying his hands after finishing the dishes and Rafael was walking out of the room. “How do I look?” He asked. Sonny’s answer was his frozen hands and dropped jaw. “Hello, earth to Carisi.” That statement brought Sonny back.

“Don’t call me that. Not today. You call me Sonny today.” The younger man said sternly.

“How about husband? Can I call you husband?” With that, Sonny went soft again. He walked over and raked over his partner, his soul mate. Rafael is wearing a white suit, it wasn’t painfully white, but a pure white, matching with his soft, silk white button up. The lapels were lined in black, his bowtie was black, and so were his shoes. Sonny couldn’t help but think he looked the best he had ever looked, he wasn’t sure if it was the color of the suit or if it was the fact that in less than three hours the man in this suit was going to be his husband.  
Sonny kisses his cheek. “Not until 1:30,” he responds, with a light smile. 

“Go, get in the shower, we have to be at the court house in an hour,” Rafael said, tapping lightly on Sonny’s ass as he walked towards the bedroom to get in the shower.  
At the doorway of the bedroom, Sonny turned around and looked at Rafael. “I love you.”

“Yeah yeah, I love you too,” Rafael said, turning to look at Sonny.

“I can’t wait to finish our lives together,” Sonny said before turning to enter the master bathroom. Rafael smiled. Sonny said finish, he always says finish together because, “We have already started our lives together, Rafi, this is just our next chapter,” Rafael remembered that line from the day he had proposed.  
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................…………..

The moment Sonny walked into his office, Rafael went weak-kneed.

He always went weak-kneed when he saw Sonny; it took everything Rafael had to keep them from buckling.

“I ordered Chinese to go,” Sonny said, holding up the bag of to-go food. Sonny was perfect, he knew that Rafael was busy, he knew that he was forcing himself to stop his work for their date night. This was why Rafael loved Sonny.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Rafael said with a sympathetic smile on his face.

“I know I didn’t, I wanted to, I want to spend time with you, it doesn’t have to be at a restaurant. In fact, I kind of prefer eating in your office. It reminds me of our beginning.” With that, Rafael stood up, walked over to Sonny, kissed him and whispered,

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Sonny responded. Finally, Rafael lets his weak knees buckle, one of them landing on the floor. The door was still open, everyone could see them, hear the boxes of Chinese food crash to Sonny’s right side. “What are you doing?” He asked, taking his right hand and swinging the door shut with a slam so they were finally alone.

“I don’t have rings. We can go pick those out together.”

“Excuse me,” Sonny said. Rafael chuckled and opened his mouth to finish.

“I love you so much, Sonny. An-”

“I love you too.”

“Seriously, I am trying to ask you to marry me, can you please stop interrupting.” Rafael said without any hint of anger or frustration in his voice.

“Yes.”

“Okay, Dominick ‘Sonny’ Cari-,” turns out Sonny couldn’t help it. He blurted out his answer before Rafael could finish the question.

“Yes. Yes I will marry you. Now please stand up so I can kiss you,” Sonny said, pulling Rafael up by his wrists. Rafael let him, chuckling. He still felt the need to ask the question, he didn’t know why, but he had to ask the question. Maybe to prove to himself he could. After Sonny cupped Rafael’s face and finished kissing him, Rafael put his hand on the younger man’s chest and started over.

“I can not wait to start my life with you, will you marry me?”  
Sonny didn’t say yes, instead he responded, “We have already started our lives together, Rafi, this is just our next chapter.” Rafael grabbed Sonny’s waist and pulled him in, wrapping his hands around the  
younger man’s back, and kissed him. Sonny couldn’t figure out if it was a hard of soft kiss. All he knew was his heart was beating hard and his feeling for this man were so soft.

.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................………………..

Rafael had just set his coffee down and sent his final email for the day when Sonny walked out of the bedroom. His graying hair was pulled back with a little bit of gel, just enough for it to stay without looking greasy. It was the same way he always did his hair, but there was something especially beautiful about it today. Maybe it was the way it matched the rest of his outfit. Could hair match an outfit? Rafael wasn’t sure, but in this moment, he would swear it could. The way the all black suit, and button up hugged Sonny’s body made Rafael glad he had something to lead on. The white tie he wore contradicted everything else in the outfit but somehow manage to compliment the white in his hair. That was it. The way the white tie seemed to match both Rafael’s suit and Sonny’s whiting temples, that was what reassured Rafael that they were meant to be together. He didn’t believe in fate or serendipity, he believed in choice and purposeful actions; until Sonny. When that lanky, Italian chef walked into the precinct, he realized his entire life was leading up to this moment. Going to Harvard, becoming a lawyer, an ADA, transferring to Manhattan SVU; it was all for Sonny. 

Sonny straightened his tie, buttoned his jacket, and smiled at the man staring at him. Rafael immediately pushed himself off the edge of the counter, catapulting himself towards Sonny. He needed to touch him, to feel that this was real. Once he reached the taller man, he wrapped his arms around his waisted and pressed his forehead to his chin. Sonny reflexively kissed the top of his head as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and Rafael immediately sunk his head down so that his forehead was touching the younger man’s chest.

“Did you call a car yet?” Sonny asked without letting go.

“No, I will right now,” Rafael responded without budging. Sonny held Rafael a little tighter.

“It’s okay, we have a little bit of time,” Sonny said before taking Rafael’s head in his right hand, lifting it up, and kissing his forehead again. It was soft at first, and then Rafael leaned into it and Sonny made no move to end the contact. 

After several minutes that felt like seconds to the two men, Sonny pulled away and bent his head down, touching their foreheads. “We should probably head out before Amanda spam texts me.”

Pulling away slowly and as little as possible, Rafael grabbed his phone and ordered an Uber. They had agreed on no fancy cars or drivers, it was just another day, just another chapter in the middle of the book that was their life together. 

“It will be here in six minutes,” Rafael said before slipping his phone into his inside breast pocket and looking at Sonny. “You ready?”

“Since the moment I met you.” Sonny kissed Rafael’s forehead one last time. It was quick. Too quick for Rafael’s liking, but he knew it wouldn’t be the last time so he let it happen. “What about you? Are you ready to be a Carisi?”

“Depends, are you ready to be a Barba?” Rafael quipped back. 

“I am ready to start our own legacy, I am ready to start the Barba-Carisi family,” Sonny said with the same certainty in his voice that he had when said I love you for the first time, with the same certainty he had when he said yes to Rafael’s proposal. That certainty kept Rafael grounded everyday for the past four years. 

“Well lets go,” Rafael huffed out with a smile, grabbing Sonny’s hand and leading him out the door after they put on their jackets. Sonny smiled and his blue eyes sparkled brighter than the shiny black shoes he was wearing.


	2. The Part Where They Get Married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rafael and Sonny don't exactly say I Do. But they do get married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is super short because I am a mess and do not know how to write wedding scenes!  
> This is all for Fay

“Where the hell have you been? Judge Barth has been here for an hour. On a Saturday.” Olivia shouted from 10 steps above. 

“She is always here on a Saturday,” Rafael quipped as he met Olivia at the top of the court house. Why they chose to get married at the court house baffled everyone. They all had talked to Sonny of Rafael about their “interesting decision” as both Olivia and Amanda had put it. Both men had just shrugged and explained that it was easier. It was a lie. The courthouse was the perfect decision. It was where they had spent many nights prepping for trial, many nights arguing over law, it was where everything started. It was those moments that Rafael craved before he realized he was falling in love with Sonny. It was where Sonny claimed to have been “charming the socks off” of him. 

Olivia rolled her eyes and laughed, he was right. “You guys ready?” She asked, knowing the answer, they have been ready since their first date. Rafael and Sonny look at each other, smile, and then looked back to Olivia.

“Since the moment we met,” Olivia was a little taken aback by hearing those words from Rafael. She would have expected it from Sonny, but Rafael has never been a romantic. She never even thought he would get married, turns out she isn’t always right.

“It’s all set up. Wow, someone cleans up nice,” Amanda teased, eyes pointing towards Sonny. “The judge will see you now.”

Rafael and Sonny tightened their grip on each other’s hands and nodded at each other before walking ahead of everyone into the courthouse. Judge Barth was waiting in the door way of her office, faking impatience. “Took ya long enough. Come on, I have places to be,” Barth joked.

“Yeah, our reception,” Rafael quipped back. Barth just smiled and ushered everyone in. Rafael and Sonny stood in front of her desk, leaving room for her. Everyone else, Olivia, Amanda, and Fin, stood in a line in the middle of the room. Once everyone was situated, Barth began.

“Since you guys wanted to get married in my office instead of the chapel down the hall; we are here to join these two men in matrimony. Whether it Is holy or not, I don’t know.”

“Move on,” Raf snarked. 

“Okay. We are here to join these two men in matrimony. As someone who has personally watched these two for the past six years, shameless flirting and all, I can say beyond a doubt that there are no two people more meant for each other than the two people standing in front of me now. I also know that everyone in this room agrees, but I have to ask so: If anyone has any objection, speak now or forever hold your peace.” There a beat of silence. “Good, no arrests today,” she smiled. There is a moment of soft laughter. “Now it is my understanding that the two of you have prepared your own vows, now is where you say them, Sonny.” 

Sonny pulls out a piece of paper and says, “I know you told me to memorize them, but I knew that I would forget the words the moment I looked into your green eyes, and we can’t have that can we.” Rafael has nothing to say, Sonny always does that to him. “Anyways,” Sonny unfolds the yellow lined paper. “Rafael Barba, you are not a romantic. You don’t like candle light dinners or quiet nights on the couch. It took you six months to hold my hand. Another three to hold it in public. I remember the night you did, because it was the same night you told me you loved me. It was the same night you told me that you had loved me for a year. That was the night I decided to propose, but you beat me to that. Just like you had beat me to everything else, not this time. This time I go first. Rafael Barba, you are the love of my life, you are the only love of my life. Some people get more than one, not me. I got you, and you got me. We can speculate who did what to deserve who, but the truth is that neither of us deserve the other. It took me two years to realize that neither of us is good enough for the other, we make each other good enough, together. Rafi, you have always made me better; first it was a student, then a lawyer, then a dresser, and now, now I am a better man because of you. I can not wait to write our next chapters together. I love you Rafael Barba.” Rafael couldn’t move. “That’s it,” Sonny says, starting to fold the piece of the paper. Rafael stops him with his left hand, reaches into his jacket with his right, and pulls out a piece of paper of the same color. “Oh, so I had to memorize, but you didn’t. I see,” Sonny jokes. 

“Shut up, I never stood a chance against the blue in your eyes,” Rafael admitted. He unfolded the piece of paper and began to read it. “I am not romantic, not by any measure. I don’t eat dinner at candle light, and I don’t understand wasting the night on the couch. I didn’t understand any of it, until you walked into my life. Long legs, badly gelled hair, and all. You changed my entire life with that walk of yours, you made me love again with that hair, and all of those comments and opinions, you gave me reason after reason to keep fighting. It took me almost 40 years to admit to myself that I could love like I loved you. It took me six months to believe that you could love me like that. I told you I wanted to start my life with you and you had to tell me that our life has already began. You counted those ‘Booyah Fordham’ laws and comparisons to a broken clock as our life. Dominick Carisi Jr. I love you with every ounce of my being, my heart beats for you, my lungs expand and deflate for you. Everything I do is for you and your love. I am in love with you, put that in your little book.” Sonny let out a tear-filled laugh. “Lets write that chapter together.” 

After an unnecessarily long pause, Barth started to speak “Okay, does anyone have the rings?” Amanda handed Sonny one ring and Olivia handed Rafael the other. They slipped the rings on shaky hands and then held each other’s hands at their waist. “Now, by the power vested in me by the state of New York, I know pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband.” Rafael immediately closed the space between them, wrapping his arms around Sonny’s neck, the yellow paper still in Rafael’s right hand. Sonny responded with his hands wrapped around Rafael’s waist. The kiss was long and hard and completely PG, for the sake of their friends. They were so wrapped up in each other, they didn’t even hear the cheering from their friends until the pulled their lips apart. 

“I love you, husband,” Sonny said with a smile. “Lets go have a party.” They separate completely, save for one hand holding the other, and they walked out of the court house with their friend’s following.   
Once they got outside, they were greeted with an all black car, with “Just Married” printed on the rear mirror. Rafael turned to Olivia who smiled and looked at Amanda who shook her head. “Lets go guys, try to control yourselves though, it is a rental,” Fin said with a smile. They all walked to the car and Sonny and Rafael let them selves in. 

“See you guys soon,” Olivia said.

“Bye,” Amanda added on.

Once Fin was in the driver’s seat, he looked at the two of them, smiled, and pushed a button that signaled the middle curtain to close. Once closed, Rafael pulled his seatbelt, but was stopped by Sonny straddling him. The seatbelt clicked back, loud enough for fin to hear. 

“Say it, call me your husband,” Sonny said.

“You have always had a thing for the truth, husband, ha-“ Rafael was cut off by Sonny’s lips. They stayed like this for the fifteen minute drive back to Rafael’s apartment. Rafael and Sonny’s apartment. The Barba-Carisi home.


	3. The Part Where They Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rafael and Sonny celebrate with friends, and have a little cake fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last thank you to Fay for letting me write this. I hope I did it justice!

Fin drove around the block once before parking. 

“I am opening the curtain,” he warned, “Please separate yourselves.” Sonny laughed as he got off Rafael and sat in his seat. 

“You’re good, we have ‘separated’,” Rafael mocked. Sonny got out and walked around to open the door for Rafael. As soon as he stood up, Sonny kissed him again and they looked at their apartment building, the car separating them from the sidewalk. It looked exactly the same. Sonny had expected to feel different, to see differently, but nothing changed. Their feelings were always real, always forever, now it was just written on a piece of paper. 

They laced their fingers together and walked around the back of the car, onto the sidewalk, and up to the building. Fin had driven off to get the car washed so he could return it. The doorman opened the door, they walked past the front desk and stepped into the elevator. The turned around in the elevator and looked at the doors as they closed, Sonny was wearing a small smile, and Rafael started laughing the moment the doors closed. 

“What is so funny?”

“I am married-“

“To a cop from Staten Island, I know I know. Ha Ha.”

“No, that has nothing to do with it. I am laughing because I am married, I have love. I am laughing because we have a dog and we are going to adopt three kids.” Rafael huffed “I am laughing because 6 and half years ago, I was a single lawyer and I was okay with that, and now.” Rafael stopped laughing and looked at Sonny. “Now I am retired and not single, and happy, because of you” Rafael kissed Sonny as the elevator door dinged and opened.

“I am sorry, I have to.” Before Rafael can even make a confused look, Sonny is picking him up and cradling him in his arms. They are laughing as Rafael unlocks the door and Sonny kicks it open. The door bangs against the wall and they stop laughing. Sonny puts Rafael down and he adjusts his jacket.

“Shit, the one time I set my phone down,” Amanda says. Olivia laughs. 

“Why are you guys here?”

“Um, The invitation said reception after the wedding at your house.” Olivia said, smirking. 

“In an hour, we haven’t-“ Rafael is cut off by Olivia moving, revealing everything set up. It was simple, yet elegant. Nothing but expensive party neatly arranged on the bar with the 3-layer cake set in the center. “A cake? I thought we weren’t doing cake?” Rafael looked to Sonny. 

“I didn’t-“ 

“Its our wedding present to you,” Olivia said. Rafael starts to tear up as he walks over to her and hugs her.

“Thank you. This is beautiful,” he says as he looks at it.

The cake is white, except for the flowers, all different shades of purple. There are clear, glass pillars separating each layer. The very top has two men holding each other close as they dance, one much taller than the other, Amanda’s little joke. 

Olivia pours a glass of wine for everyone as Lucia walks into the still open door; as if sensing her presence, Rafael turns around. “Mami!” He goes to hug her.

“Rafi, you look-“ she is stopped by Rafael hugging her. After he pulls away, she looks him over, stopping at the smile on his face. “You look happy.”

“I am, mami.” She walks to Sonny and kisses him on the cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispers, “for making my boy happy.” Sonny smiles, looking up at Rafael. His ‘you’re welcome’ is a kiss on her forehead. 

In the next 30 minutes, people start trickling in. Fin, Rita, Judge Barth, and finally the entire Carisi gang because they must arrive together, 15 minutes late. Everyone is talking and hugging the happy couple, telling them “It’s about time” or “Congratulations” or “It’s nice to see you happy” or some combination of the three.

After about 45 minutes, Olivia taps her wine glass, “It is time to make a toast.” The room quiets and everyone turns to listen to her. “These two men deserve love, and seeing them find it in each other, it gives me hope. May you guys last a lifetime. Rafael, I can’t wait to bicker with you when we are 85. Sonny, I can’t wait to send him home to you after bickering,” Sonny and Rafael chuckle with the rest of the room, hands wrapped around each other’s waist, “Here is to love, in all of it’s beauty. Cheers!” They all raise their glasses as Amanda steps up, ready to talk. 

“Sonny, you walked into the squad room with a bag of Zepolli and a terrible mustache and I knew I was gonna hate you.”

“Wow, Thanks,” Sonny interjects, rolling his eyes.

“Hey, never said I wasn’t wrong. Anyways, I still remember the first time you saw Barba, I remember the moment, because it was then that I began to believe in soul mates. The connection you two had, I mean if this were a show, the writers wouldn’t be able to ignore it, you two were made for each other. So, here is to soul mates.”

As everyone claps, Fin takes Amanda’s place. “Imma make this short and sweet because I see cake and I am hungry,” the entire room erupts in laughter, “I’m not joking. Anyways, you two are….are one weird pairing. Like, really, who’da thought that some lanky white boy would end up with our powerful ADA, not me, that is for sure. But hey, whatever floats your boat, or yacht.” Fin winks at Barba and continues, “Anyways, you guys are weird but it works. The two of you, you make each other happy, and that is great. Here is to your happiness,” Fin raises a glass, “You guys deserve it.” After another sip of wine, Fin says, “Now lets have some cake!” And everyone laughs as they make their way to the kitchen. 

Sonny and Rafael cut a slice together and each take a bite, Olivia filming the whole thing. Once that is done, everyone takes a slice and begins to eat it. Olivia decides to keep filming, and she is glad she did. Just as everyone is starting to take their attention from Sonny and Rafael, Sonny cuts another slice and dips his index finger in the frosting before swiping it across Rafael’s face. Most of it gets on his nose and cheek, a little bit makes it’s way to Rafael’s mouth. Sonny laughs as Rafael looks at him, feigning anger. Before he can do anything, Sonny kisses Rafael’s cheek, tongue poking out to lick the frosting, he licks it off Rafael’s nose and then takes him in a liplock. Sonny is so amused with himself, he doesn’t notice Rafael’s hand moving. He doesn’t notice his hand dipping into that same piece of cake, and he doesn’t notice Rafael’s hand reaching around his neck. Until he feels frosting on it. Sonny pulls away and Rafael quickly swipes more and smacks it across Sonny’s face. Sonny looks at him, jaw dropped. 

“That’s what you get!” Rafael says, expecting Sonny to throw more at him. Instead, Sonny smiles and grabs Rafael’s face with both his hands and kisses him hard. Sonny breaks the kiss with a quick turn of the head, causing the cake to smear on Rafael. Sonny laughs and Rafael is smiling, eyes sparkling. No one in the room has managed to notice, except Olivia filming, and Lucia Barba. 

“Clean yourselves off, it’s time for pictures,” Lucia chuckles out, shaking her head. As Rafael and Sonny wipe each other off, first with their tongues, then with a paper towel, Lucia walks over to Olivia. “You got all of that, right?” Olivia nods and Lucia pats her on the back, smiling. 

After another hour, the photos are complete and the photographer says goodbye with a thank you from both Sonny and Rafael. As the night winds down, people start slowly exiting, leaving Rafael, Sonny, Olivia, Amanda, and Lucia in the apartment to clean up. 

“Mami, you should go home, get some rest.”

“This place is a mess.” Lucia gestures to the nearly cleaned living room.

“It is almost clean and we have Olivia and Amanda here to help,” Rafael says as he walks Lucia to the door. 

“Okay Okay,” Lucia kisses her son, “I will go. I love you. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Rafael smiles.

“And goodnight to you too Sonny.” 

“Goodnight Lucia.” Lucia kisses Rafael one more time and looks at him, smiling. 

“I love you, mami.”

“Ya, ya.” Lucia has already turned her back and is walking towards the elevator.

Rafael closes the door and sighs before looking at Olivia. Sonny looks at Amanda. Both women are tying up the trash bags. 

“Okay, we get it, we get it. We will leave you two be.” Amanda says, picking up the trash bags and walking towards the door. Olivia grabs both women’s things and then turns to hug Rafael and Sonny. 

“Congratulations, It is nice to see you two so happy.” Sonny and Rafael look at each other and then lace their fingers together and nod. 

“Thank you, Lieu,” Sonny says, opening the door for Olivia and Amanda. She walks out and Sonny closes the door. 

They look at each other, smiling. Sonny lets go of the handle and wraps his right arm around Rafael’s waist and steps forward. Rafael watches, looking up at him, he untangles his fingers from Sonny’s hand and reaches up to cup his cheek. Sonny’s hand follows his, palm landing on top of Rafael’s hand. Sonny lean’s his head into the touch, turning his head to kiss Rafael’s palm. 

“So, my husband, what do you want to do next?” Sonny asks softly. Rafael smiles and then leans up, rising on his toes to reach Sonny’s lips. He presses their lips together and Sonny immediately wraps both arms around Rafael’s back. He breathes in as Rafael brings his other hand to Sonny’s right cheek. They part and Rafael lowers himself without breaking their eye contact. 

“What I want to do, Husband, is you.” Rafael loves the sound of that word, more than he thought he would. Sonny smiles and nods, not wanting to loose the contact, he pushes Rafael against the closest wall and kisses him. They pull apart finally and smile at each other.

For the rest of the night, they went slowly. Every movement deliberate, and well thought out.

Just like their entire relationship.

It had taken years of getting to know each other, flirting with boundaries, and ignoring the attraction for them to finally kiss. To finally admit that they loved each other. To admit they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They had that now. They had their entire lives together and they were going to cherish every single moment of it. Beginning with tonight.


End file.
